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Review
. 2025 Mar 24;17(3):e81122.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.81122. eCollection 2025 Mar.

The Bender-Gestalt Test: A Systematic Review

Hicham Lafhal  1   2   3 , Ahami Omar Tohami Ahami  1 , Kawtar Chafik  4   5 , Siham Goutou  6 , Rochdi Atmane  2
Affiliations
Review

The Bender-Gestalt Test: A Systematic Review

Hicham Lafhal et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

The Bender-Gestalt test (Bender test), since its appearance, has been widely used to analyze visuomotor functions, perception and cognitive processes. However, it is often used in a variety of other contexts. The aim of this research is to study the use of the Bender test and the Bender-II, based on the results of studies conducted between 2013 and 2023. The search was carried out using inclusion and exclusion criteria and in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The databases consulted were Medline, Embase and SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), with no language restrictions. Study selection criteria included three steps: title, abstract and full text. The heterogeneity of study results precluded meta-analysis. Sixty-two articles were retrieved through the electronic search, and after reviewing abstracts and reading full texts, 25 articles were considered to meet our inclusion criteria. Among these, studies reveal that the Bender test is particularly useful for diagnosing neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. In particular, several studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in assessing visuomotor functions and visual perception, with mixed results regarding its sensitivity and specificity. Key findings include improved detection of cognitive impairment in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and a strong association between test performance and patients' neuropsychological status. In conclusion, although the Bender test is widely recognized and used in various clinical populations, its use remains subject to certain limitations. The main criticism concerns subjectivity in interpreting results and the variability of scores depending on cultural factors and the age of the individual.

Keywords: bender-gestalt test; interpretation; neuropsychology; scoring; validation; visuomotor assessment; visuomotor function.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Flowchart of the study and results selection process
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